In 2001 Jim Collins wrote a book that has proved to be a lasting bestseller in both the business world and the general world of book literature. "Good to Great" looked at characteristics of businesses that had transitioned from average or mediocrity to greatness. Using strict screening criteria, Collins and his research team discovered 11 Fortune 500 companies that made this very difficult but rewarding move to greatness.
I was captivated by the thesis, research, and results of this book. I have now read
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What's Important Pastors who grow from good to great develop a deep humility and dependence on God. |
By the third reading of this book, I was convinced that Collins' thesis could be applied to churches. There was nothing unbiblical about his approach. Indeed, at times I thought his work was more biblically based that many Christian books I have read.
Several months ago, I assembled my own research team to discover churches that had moved from good to great. Since I do not at this point want to reveal all of the key issues in my upcoming book, I will not discuss the process or the churches that made our own statistical cut. I will, however, preview some of the characteristics of the pastors that led their churches from good to great.
In this article, I focus on the characteristic of humility, and how these leaders "discovered" humility.
Most of the leaders in the good-to-great churches seemed to have some innate leadership qualities. Many church leaders, however, seemed to have those same qualities. But they had not led churches from good to great. What was a distinctive difference between the two sets of pastors? The pastors of the good-to-great churches had a definitive humility about them that the other pastors did not seem to possess.
Yet an amazing story was replicated with many of these leaders. They told of times of trial, of "going through the fire," and of deep pain in leading their churches to become great. It was during these times of tribulation that the pastors recognized their own flaws, and their need to have a greater dependence on God.
"I would never want to go through that experience again," a Tennessee pastor told us. "But I wouldn't trade the experience for anything in the world."
Some pastors decide to leave when they meet opposition from leading churches to greatness. Others become emotionally hardened and bitter, and declare that it is "their way or the highway."
But good to great leaders develop a deep humility and dependence on God. It is that strength that leads them to the other side of moving a church to greatness.
Thom S. Rainer is dean of the Billy Graham School at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. The author of 14 books, he also serves as president of the Rainer Group and Church Central Associates.
